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Contribution Details

Type Journal Article
Scope Discipline-based scholarship
Title Does expanding regional train service reduce air pollution?
Organization Unit
Authors
  • Rafael Lalive
  • Simon Luechinger
  • Armin Schmutzler
Item Subtype Original Work
Refereed Yes
Status Published in final form
Language
  • English
Journal Title Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
Publisher Elsevier
Geographical Reach international
ISSN 0095-0696
Volume 92
Page Range 744 - 764
Date 2018
Abstract Text We assess how regional rail service affects air pollution in Germany, where rail service is procured in auctions or negotiations. We argue that the procurement mode is plausibly exogenous, and show that auctions deliver stronger rail service growth than negotiations. Instrumenting rail service growth with procurement mode, we find that increasing rail service by 10% reduces carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide pollution by around 1% and 2%, respectively. Sulfur dioxide and ozone, pollutants with no clear link to rail, are not affected. Expanding rail service reduces car and motorcycle use, especially on leisure and shopping trips. The effects of railway services on car and motorcycle use and on air pollution build up over time. Lives saved by reducing pollution via rail service growth are worth substantially more than the required subsidies.
Digital Object Identifier 10.1016/j.jeem.2017.09.003
Other Identification Number merlin-id:15992
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Keywords Railways, pollution, subsidies, transportation, environmental policy